Raise the Roof
World Series Game 3: October 25, 2005
White Sox (3-0), 7
Astros (0-3), 5
H: Cliff Politte (2)
BS: Dustin Hermanson (1)
W: Damaso Marte (1)
S: Mark Buehrle (1)
L: Ezequeil Astacio (0-1)
14 innings
White Sox lead the series 3-0
What if, before a fall classic game at Fenway Park, Bud Selig proclaimed, “Congratulations, Red Sox. You’re going to have to lower the Green Monster by 5 feet, by the way.” Or, if the World Series were at Yankee Stadium: “Another crack at the title, eh? By the way, reduce capacity by 30,000 for the games here.”
That is effectively what happened to the Houston Astros last night. They were told by MLB to keep the roof open to recreate the atmosphere of fall baseball. Rather than having to cope with the full effect of a raucous home crowd, the White Sox got a diluted version of the ruction at Minute Maid Park. As a result of the league’s dictum, it may have been better off resurrecting the tomb-like Astrodome to play these games rather than play out the charade at Minute Maid. Why force a team to significantly alter one of its advantages at home? Just another one of those picayune details that, although one can’t say that it enormously impacted the game, cumulatively make this series seem less than wholesome.
Poor Ezequeil Astacio. He threw the pitch that transformed into a 2-run blast off the bat of Geoff Blum in the 14th inning to give the Chicago AL club a lead they would ride to their seventh straight playoff victory. Astacio’s given name was presumably dervied from Ezekiel, or Yechezkel, meaning “God will strengthen,” which is what the Astros desperately need to do if they hope to salvage one win from their first ever fall classic appearance. We know what graphic Fox will be using a dozen time before their 23,000 commercials hyping their program lineup: “Teams that have come back from 3 games down in a 7-game series. 2004 Red Sox*. 1975 New York Islanders. 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs. *Only team in baseball history.”
Along with the streak of four complete game wins the Pale Hose accomplished in the ALCS and possibly breaking an 88-year championship drought, the team is also poised to replicate the Red Sox eight-game run from last year’s postseason (those copycats). They are merely a pale imitation of the 2004 Red Sox, however, since they were only down one game in their ALCS.
The nooks and crannies of Astros’ home field are growing on me. Jason Lane’s leadoff homer in the 4th inning was ruled as such because it hit the wall to the right of a yellow line that presumably accounts for the jutting balcony seats above it. It reminded me fondly of similar lines on Fenway’s center field wall. I still think Tal’s Hill is a contrivance, however; nothing will ever truly recreate Duffy’s Cliff.
The Book of Ezekiel spoke of the resurrection of the dead in its pages. It might be time for the Astros to peruse that chapter. “Son of man, can these bones live?”
